Jenni is my Rhodesian Ridgeback and raison d’être. Anyone who is a dog lover will understand just how important a dog can be. Jenni makes as much fuss (and believe me it’s a lot) of me if I have been away for half and hour or a week. She’s also beautiful, even to non-doggy sorts; strange people that they are! She sleeps on my bed and any other furniture that may be comfortable. I try and take her with me as much as possible – she has me well trained.

(Jenni died in the early hours of 26th July 2010 after surgery for gastric torsion. I was not there for her.)

Tina in a "you ARE taking me too" pose

Tina was Jenni’s sister by an earlier litter. She was the dog that I’d always been waiting for but did not know it. She had no ridge (it just ran the other way), her ears were too big and her tail too long but I loved her and she was protective of me. A Jenni on full throttle, life was for living and she was naughty without a shred of malice. After only a year I took it all away from her in a moment’s carelessness that will always haunt me.

Cassie (Lab) and Kim (Rhodesian Ridgeback) at about 4 years

Cassie was my first dog, a typical super affectionate Lab who gave me 14 glorious years along with Kim, my first Ridgeback. I have no regrets there. Superb companions and true friends they pulled me through the rough times and they were always there for me. I promised Cassie that I would immortalize her so call the software that I write “Softdog Software” – she was that gentle.

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9 responses

jimmy and princy are our labradors-faithful companions and they have to have the bed and the pillow of course – too late to train them now and i would never sleep if they were anywhere else but near me.love to your faithful friends.eileen

Can I ever relate – Tina could be a twin for my Copper (if you add the ridge) who insisted on going EVERYWHERE with me. From Marondera to Lusaka to Kigali (where she starred in a film) back to Lusaka…where she passed away exactly 10.5 years after her birth, due to spinal cord injury. Her “small sister” Peewee, adopted in Lusaka and famous in six countries (for being so full of cheek) sadly died – and I was not there – after complications from surgery I should not have subjected her to on 6 April 2012. Her new “big sister” Sadie – a Lilongwe SPCA special, now has Sylvie – another LSPCA special – who has the “ridge” and obsession for all things edible (as did Copper). Dogs are not my whole life..but they certainly help to make it whole.

My “raison d’être” – I love that.
I don’t know where I would be had it not been for the support of my dog family.
And yes, non-doggy sorts are a strange breed I will never understand (nor will I ever like – or trust – them much)!